The present invention relates to a tearable sealing member provided with a control tearing means for controlling the width of the strip to be torn out of the seal film.
Tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus are known and marketed for example under the Trademark xe2x80x9cGoldsealxe2x80x9d, CF Technology. Said tearable member comprises a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, so as to define an opening.
Other tearable sealing members exists.
It has been observed that in some case, when tearing the strip out of the sealing film, the width of the strip was reduced during the tearing operation, whereby the width of the opening formed is variable.
In order to solve this problem, it has been proposed to form two parallel grooves in the seal film by means of a laser.
It has also been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,606) to fix on a foamed sealing film a tape, a portion of which forms a tearing member. The tape needs to be properly glued on the sealing film for having a correct tearing operation. Moreover, the portion of the tape extending outside of the seal film needs to remain free of gluing means. It is therefore not possible to use a common commercial glue tape for its production.
The present invention relates among others to a tearable sealing member in which the control tearing means acts after the initial tearing, i.e. the tearing of the strip is controlled after the initial tearing.
Tearable sealing member of the invention will be now be disclosed.
The invention relates to a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, so as to define an opening. The seal film is provided with a means for controlling a minimum width of the strip to be torn out during at least its partial tearing, preferably at least partly its initial tearing. Said control means defining at least a control tearing line selected from the group consisting of a at least partly curved control tearing line, a control tearing line with at least a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction and a control tearing line with a portion having at least a curved portion and a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction. When the control tearing line is linear or substantially linear, said control tearing line has advantageously a portion forming an angle comprised between 2xc2x0 and 88xc2x0 with respect to the longitudinal direction, preferably between 5 and 85xc2x0, most preferably between 15 and 75xc2x0 with respect to said longitudinal direction. Preferably, the seal film and the tearing member are portions of a same structure, i.e. a film structure comprising a portion forming the seal film and another portion forming the tearing member.
The at least curved control tearing line is advantageously selected from the group consisting of portion of substantially circular lines, portions of ellipses, portions of sinuses, portions of tangents, portion of parabols, portion of hyperbols, portion of spirals, etc., and combinations thereof
The sealing film is preferably an easily tearable film or plastic film, comprising one or more layers, for example comprising two superposed layers, such as two or more than two co extruded layers. The film or layer(s) thereof can be prepared from polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymer (polyethylene/polypropylene), polyamide, polyurethane, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, vinyl alcohol copolymer and mixtures thereof. The film or a layer thereof can be foamed, partly foamed or not foamed, and/or can form of a single continuous phase, a continuous phase with a dispersion phase, and/or can be mono axially oriented, bi axially oriented or partly tri axially oriented (embossed), etc. Examples of possible films are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,169,696; 6,054,209; 6,156,441, etc., the scope of which is incorporated by reference.
According to an embodiment, the tearable sealing member comprises a plurality of control means defining two or more control tearing lines distant from each other in the longitudinal direction, each control means being selected from the group consisting of a at least partly curved control tearing line, a control tearing line with at least a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction and a control tearing line with a portion having at least a curved portion and a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction. For example, said plurality of control means are located on the seal film along its longitudinal direction, so that a first control tearing means act at a first moment of the teasing operation, while at least another control tearing means act at another moment of the tearing operation.
According to a detail of a tearable sealing member of the invention, the tearable sealing member comprises at least a control means defining a first control tearing line for at least a portion of a first edge of the strip to be torn and a second control tearing line for at least a portion of a second edge of the strip to be torn, each control tearing line being selected from the group consisting of a at least partly curved control tearing line, a control tearing line with at least a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction and a control tearing line with a portion having at least a curved portion and a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction. When the control tearing line is linear or substantially linear, said control tearing line has advantageously a portion forming an angle comprised between 2xc2x0 and 88xc2x0 with respect to the longitudinal direction, preferably between 5 and 85xc2x0, most preferably between 15 and 75xc2x0 with respect to said longitudinal direction.
Preferably, the tearable sealing member comprises at least a control means defining a first control tearing line for a portion of a first edge of the strip to be torn and a second control tearing line for a portion of a second edge of the strip to be torn, said first and second control tearing lines being each associated to a means defining a substantially linear tearing line substantially parallel to the longitudinal tearing direction, said first and second control tearing lines being selected from the group consisting of a at least partly curved control tearing line, a control tearing line With at least a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction and a control tearing line with a portion having at least a curved portion and a portion extending in a direction forming an angle with respect to the longitudinal tearing direction. The means defining a substantially linear tearing line substantially parallel to the longitudinal tearing direction is advantageously contacting one or more control tearing means.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the seal film has two opposite faces, each face being provided with at least one control tearing means. The control tearing means of the first face are or are not located at places corresponding to the places where the control tearing means of the second face. However, preferably, the control tearing means of the first face are located at places corresponding substantially to the places where the control tearing means of the second face.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the control tearing means present on a first face of the seal film and the control tearing means present on the second face of the seal film opposite to the first face are linked together at least in the vicinity of the second end of the strip. Preferably, the first control tearing means and the second control tearing means are connected together outside of the sealing film.
The control tearing means is formed by a means selected from the group consisting of a layer applied on a portion of the sealing film, an additional film applied on a portion of the sealing film, a groove formed in the sealing film, recesses formed in the sealing film, elements printed on a portion of the sealing is film, elements glued on a portion of the seal film, elements laminated on the sealing film, layer laminated on the sealing film, and mixtures thereof
The sealing film is for example provided with a means for lowering the initial tearing force. Such a means for lowering the initial tearing force is for example two cuts or two series of apertures or holes,
According to a possible embodiment, the strip to be torn out of the seal film has a central portion located between said first end and second end, whereby the strip to be torn out has a width near its first end which is lower than the width of the central portion of the strip. This is advantageous as the portion of the strip near its first end is glued to the cartridge with less glue, whereby the tearing force is lowered at the glued section of the strip. Furthermore, after removal of the strip, the opening formed at the first end (for example between the face of the toner cartridge contacting a face of the support of the magnetic drain with interposition of at least a portion of sealing member) has a lowered section, whereby the risk of possible escape of toner through said opening is lowered.
According to another embodiment, the strip to be torn out of the seal film has a central portion located between said first end and second end, whereby the strip to be torn out has a width near its second end which is lower than the width of the central portion of the strip. This is advantageous as the portion of the strip near its second end is glued to the cartridge with Less glue, whereby the tearing force is lowered at the glued section of the strip. Furthermore, after removal of the strip, the opening formed at the second end has a lowered section, whereby the risk of possible escape of toner through said opening is lowered.
According to a detail of a preferred embodiment, the strip to be torn out of the seal film has a central portion located between said first end and second end, whereby the strip to be torn out has a width near its first and second ends which is lower than the width of the central portion of the strip.
According to a possible embodiment, the strip to be torn out of the seal film has a central portion located between said first end and second end, whereby the strip to be torn out has a width near its first end which is greater than the width of the central portion of the strip.
According to a specific embodiment, the control tearing means is a tape attached to a face of the seal film, said tape having a width corresponding substantially to the width of the strip to be torn, said tape having a length substantially lower than the length of the seal film. The tape is thus advantageously only located on the sealing film and does not extend on the tearing member.
According to another specific embodiment, the seal film comprises at least two superposed layers, and at least one control tearing means is located between the two superposed layers.
The seal film is preferably provided with gluing means for gluing the seal film on the cartridge. Possibly the two opposite faces of the sealing film can be provided with gluing means, so that said gluing means can be used for attaching or fixing together the toner container with the support bearing the magnetic roller.
The invention relates also to a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, in which the seal film comprises at least two superposed layers, and at least a control tearing means located between the two layers. The fact to place the control tearing means between two superimposed layers of the film is advantageous as it enables to have less lateral movements and to improve thus the tearing direction.
In said tearable sealing member, the seal film comprises advantageously a first control tearing means for controlling at least the tearing direction along at least a portion of a first edge of the strip to be torn and a second control tearing means for controlling at least the tearing direction along at least a portion of a first edge of the strip to be torn located between the two layers, at least a portion of the first control tearing means being distant and separate from a portion of the second control tearing means.
For example, the two superimposed layers are connected together by means of at least 3 substantially parallel connecting lines, said lines being separated the one from the other so as to define therebetween a control tearing means.
Preferably, a chamber is defined between the two layers and at least between two substantially parallel connecting lines, the member further comprising a sealing means for sealing the chamber from the outside.
Most preferably, the layer intended to be directed towards the toner is provided with means selected from the group consisting of cuttings, holes, punctures, and mixtures thereof located between two substantially parallel connecting lines.
According to a preferred embodiment, the two superimposed layers are connected together by means of at least 4 substantially parallel connecting lines, said lines being separated the one from the other so as to define between two substantially connecting lines a first control tearing means and between two other substantially connecting lines a second control tearing means.
Advantageously, a chamber is defined between the two layers and at least between two substantially parallel connecting lines, the member further comprising a sealing means for sealing the chamber from the outside.
Preferably, the layer intended to be directed towards the toner is provided with means selected from the group consisting of cuttings, holes, punctures, and mixtures thereof located between two substantially parallel connecting lines.
According to a specific embodiment, the tearing member and the sealing film are formed in an assembly comprising a first layer and a second layer connected to the first layer, the first and second layers are connected together in the seal film:
by means of at least 3 substantially parallel connecting lines, said lines being separated the one from the other so as to define thereberween a control tearing means, and
by means of at least one connecting lines in the tearing member.
According to a more specific embodiment, the tearing member and the sealing film are formed in an assembly comprising a first layer and a second layer connected to the first layer, the first and second layers are connected together in the seal film
by means of at least 4 substantially parallel connecting lines, said lines being separated the one from the other so as to define between two substantially connecting lines a first control tearing means and between two other substantially connecting lines a second control tearing means, and
by means of at least two substantially parallel connecting lines in the tearing member.
Preferably, a chamber is defined between the two layers and at least between two substantially parallel connecting lines, the member further comprising a sealing means for sealing the chamber from the outside.
Most preferably, the layer intended to be directed towards the toner is provided with means selected from the group consisting of cuttings, holes, punctures, and mixtures thereof located between two substantially parallel connecting lines.
According to an embodiment of the tearable sealing member, the seal film is provided with gluing means for gluing the seal film on the cartridge.
The invention relates also to a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, in which at least a portion of the strip to be torn is connected to at least a tape portion connected to at least a handling means, said tape portion acting as tearing control means for at least a portion of the strip. Possibly the tape portion acting as handling means can be removed after placement. For facilitating its removal the connecting line of the handling means with the tape portion attached or glued on the film seal is provided with means for facilitating the removal (such as holes, cuts, grooves, punctures in the tape).
Preferably, the tape portion is connected to at least two distinct handling means
According to an embodiment, the handling means (preferably each handling means, for example two or more than two, while two handling means seems to be sufficient for many cases) is pivotably connected to the tape portion, so that said handling means can be moved between a position in which the handling means is adjacent to the seal film and a handling position, for example a handling position in which the handling means is substantially perpendicular to the film seal.
According to an embodiment, the handling means (preferably each handling means) is connected to a first tape portion attached to the film seal and to a second tape portion attached to the film seal, said handling means being situated between said first and second tape portion.
Most preferably, the sealing member is associated to a tape, in which the handling means is connected to a first tape portion attached to the film seal and to a second tape portion attached to the film seal, said handling means being formed by a folded portion of the tape situated between said first and second tape portion. Advantageously, the folded portion comprises two tape portions attached to each other (for example glued to each other).
The handling means have for example a height comprised between 0.5 cm and 2 cm. Preferably the handling means are distant from each other by a distance corresponding to at least the height of the handling means or by a distance sufficient for avoiding that one handling means when adjacent to the seal film contacts or reach the pivoting line of another handling means.
The invention further relates to a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, in which at least a portion of the strip to be torn is connected to at least a tape portion connected to at least a pivoting rib, said tape portion acting as tearing control means for at least a portion of the strip. The tape portion is advantageously connected to at least two distinct pivoting ribs, for example 3, 5, 7, 10 or even more. The ribs are advantageously parallel to each other and have a maximum height (calculated when the ribs are perpendicular to the seal film) of less than 1 cm, for example less than 0.5 cm, advantageously less than 3 mm.
Advantageously, the rib is pivotably connected to the tape portion, so that said rib is movable between a position in which the rib is adjacent to the seal film and a position in which the rib is substantially perpendicular to the seal film.
Preferably, the rib is connected to a first tape portion attached to the film seal and to a second tape portion attached to the film seal, said rib being situated between said first and second tape portion.
Most preferably, the rib is connected to a first tape portion attached to the film seal and to a second tape portion attached to the film seal, said rib being formed by a folded portion of the tape situated between said first and second tape portion. The folded portion comprises two tape portions attached to each other, for example glued together.
The invention further relates to a process for the manufacture of a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, so as to define an opening, in which the seal film is provided with a means for controlling a minimum width of the strip to be torn out during at least its partial tearing,
In which the control tearing means is printed on the seal films
The invention still relates to:
a process for the manufacture of a tearable scaling member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, so as to define an opening, said seal film comprising two layers bound the one to the other, in which at least one layer is provided with a means for controlling a minimum width of the strip to be torn out during at least its partial tearing,
In which the control tearing means is printed on said layer, and.
a process for the manufacture of a tearable sealing member for unsealably sealing an opening of a developer container for containing a developer for an image forming apparatus, said tearable member comprising a seal film for closing the opening and a tearing member cooperating with the seal film for tearing a strip out of said seal film in a longitudinal direction, from a first end of the strip up to a second end of the strip, so as to define an opening, said seal film comprising two layers bound the one to the other, in which at least one layer is provided with a means for controlling a minimum width of the strip to be torn out during at least its partial tearing,
In which a first layer is provided with non adhesive lines, and in which a second layer is applied on said first layer and connected to said first layer between at least partly between two non adhesive lines.